Becoming a student leader is one way for students to get involved in the campus community and overcome the U’s commuter-campus feel.
Housing and Residential Education is currently accepting applications for resident advisers (RAs) for the 2007-2008 school year.
RAs live in the Residence Halls and act as leaders for their assigned floor.
“The RA’s most important task is to build a community on their floor or house,” said Melissa Prentice, assistant residential education coordinator for Chapel Glen.
RAs are also responsible for planning and carrying out monthly meetings and activities for residents.
“Without RAs to help facilitate activities, the Residence Halls would just be a place where people sleep,” Prentice said.
RAs are also responsible for enforcing policies on their floors and making sure people are held accountable for inappropriate behavior.
Nichelle Haymore, a freshman business major and an RA in Chapel Glen, said, “I like the involvement of a student leader and planning and carrying out activities.”
RAs create a monthly bulletin on their floors and are in charge of passing out information on upcoming events.
“I like meeting new people, and there are different events every month that I didn’t know about before,” said Allsion Pawlus, a sophomore pre-nursing major and RA in Chapel Glen.
Student leader applications for the Residence Halls can be picked up in the HRE office and the Heritage Center or can be printed online at www.housing.utah.edu.
Besides filling out the application itself, applying requires a 500-word essay, a rsum and two references. Prospective RAs must also have at least two semesters finished by the end of Spring Semester and maintain a 2.5 GPA–a 3.25 GPA for Officer’s Circle.
“Really put some thought and time into answering the questions,” Prentice said. “It is very obvious when a candidate rushes through it and doesn’t take the time necessary to completely answer the questions.”
RAs are hired for the entire academic year and are employed from Aug. 6 to May 3. RAs receive a single room, meal plan and Residence Hall Association dues as compensation.
“I would absolutely recommend (being an RA),” Haymore said. “It is really fun, especially if you like to be involved. You get to meet people and really build relationships with them.”
“You have to enjoy planning and being creative, but it can be a lot of fun,” Pawlus said.
Any student interested in learning more about the positions available can contact the HRE office at 587-2002.
Applications for student leader positions are due in the HRE office by 5 p.m. on Jan. 19.